White
by The Genius Mage
Summary: Giftfic, light RagunaxUzuki. For reasons that Raguna simply couldn't fathom, no matter what the weather, Uzuki was always outside training. Never mind that the holidays were just around the corner.


_~*_White_*~_

"_I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.__"_

~*X*~

**Snow** seemed to enjoy falling in sheets in Trampoli, or at least that's what Raguna figured as he dusted his hands off, staring through the window of his barn. The air in here was warm and filled with the sounds and scents of his many animals, each one with their own names and personalities. They were as dear to him as family, so no matter what the weather, he went out to them every day and gave them a good grooming.

Done with his task, he turned around—pausing only to pat Fenrir on the head one final time—and shut the door behind him, locking the heat safely within the towering wooden structure. Runeys swarmed around him, their glowing forms appearing even more ghostly against the stark white of the snow. Drawing his pallid scarf around his face, Raguna retraced his footsteps back to the main road.

If the path was anything to judge by, Annette had been by already (naturally) and Mist hadn't come this way, or anyone else for that matter. He turned towards the north and shoved his hands into his pockets, heading for town.

Trampoli was quiet, and the white crunching beneath the soles of his boots seemed unnaturally loud. Raguna didn't expect anyone to be out besides Annette, but he saw the sun's tangerine light reflect off of something up the hill towards the inn.

_Oh, she's out here in this weather? _He thought, somewhat alarmed. It was so _bitterly_ cold! He didn't even have anything to farm, since the ground was too frozen to drive a hoe into. He had been making his living thus far this winter by tending to flowers up on Whale Island and claiming the fur and other parts of monsters to sell. It was tough but not too difficult, merely physically draining.

Uzuki swung her _naginata_ as she called it, though to him it looked like a spear or lance. The movement was slow and precise, and her narrowed eyes promised she was imagining her weapon connecting with some poor, unfortunate soul.

He sidled up to her, casual as you please, and thought to himself that, surely, something was missing…?

Oh, wait, he knew what it was. How peculiar! "Good morning, Uzuki!" Raguna greeted, pulling down his scarf so he could speak unhindered.

She just no w seemed to notice him, and she inclined her head politely, driving the end of her _naginata_ into the ground with an icy complaint accompanying it. "Good morning. How does it go?"

He was always a bit thrown by her formal way of speaking, but he didn't show it. "Oh, great, thanks for asking. Where's Tsubute?" The little _thing_ typically floating with her was nowhere to be seen, which was pretty odd in and of itself.

Uzuki shoved her hands into her sleeves, and he saw her shiver slightly, though she hid it well. "He is ill. It is his wish that I continue my training even if he cannot be here to observe me."

Tsubute could get sick? Raguna resisted the urge to smile, albeit the corner of his lips twitched upward of their own accord. He wasn't too fond of the old man, that was for sure. Still…"Will he get better? I mean, is it serious?"

Uzuki shook her head. "No, it is not serious."

"Oh, that's good," he replied truthfully enough. There was a moment or two of calm, and Raguna watched the snowflakes settle onto the black of her hair in enchanting patterns. A chillier breeze than before arrived with a _whoosh_, tearing the dragon-like fog of their breaths to pieces that swiftly dissipated.

"Raguna, you can fight, can you not?"

The question was so abrupt that he had to take a few seconds to recollect his thoughts. "Um, yes I can. Why do you ask?"

She tilted her head to the side in an animalistic fashion, her catlike gaze heavy with curiosity. "And like me, you are not from this village?"

"No. I followed Mist here." Raguna's thoughts flickered briefly to his ditzy friend before returning to the conversation at hand.

Uzuki twirled her weapon absently, her expression pensive. "Who taught you to use a sword?"

Ah so she had noticed the sword strapped to his waist. Most people had by now. "I'm self-taught," Raguna admitted somewhat sheepishly. "Why do you ask?"

"I would appreciate a sparring partner, if it so pleases you."

"What, right now?" He asked, startled.

"Oh, no. I would like it if Tsubute could see us, so he can judge my progress."

Relieved—it was _really_ cold right now—Raguna nodded. "Sure, I'll be happy to train with you later."

"Thank you." She smiled then, a bright one that momentarily displayed a flash of white as vibrant as the fresh snow around them.

He grinned in response. "Any time." He blinked as he saw her shiver again. The tremble was far more noticeable than last time. Without saying a word, he unwound his scarf from around his neck and put the ivory cloth around her instead. He made sure that it was arranged properly before beaming at her. "If you're going to be out here, at least dress warmly," he chastised good-naturedly.

Uzuki blushed a little, showing up clearly as a red dusting across her pale cheeks. "T-Thank you, Raguna, though it is not necessary. I feel warmer as I train."

Raguna just shrugged at that. "Don't worry about returning it either," he added. A breeze ghosted across his skin and he scowled to himself, crossing his arms. He watched Annette complete her rounds and waved at her as she departed to wherever she went when she wasn't delivering mail.

Uzuki had resumed her exercises, though now she was performing a different set than before. She said to him as she went through a complicated looking spiraling jab movement; "Do you dislike the cold?"

"Sort of." He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. "Most farmers do, don't they?"

"It is a time for the earth to sleep." She sounded quizzical.

He smiled slightly. "That's true, but it means I have to go dungeon crawling more than I like." _Dungeon crawling_ was a bit of an adventurer's term, being the joking name given to the act of traipsing around dangerous subterranean locations for valuable loot.

She didn't have a response to that, but that was likely due to her intent concentration.

_She's so serious. I wonder what she's training for. _He considered inquiring, but somehow he thought that it was an intrusion of privacy or something. Instead of leaving to make the arduous climb up to Whale Island, Raguna hung around as casually as he could, trying to figure out as much as possible about the mysterious girl before him just by observation alone.

After a considerable time of silence, Raguna could stay quiet no longer, and said something silly and frivolous. "Doesn't Trampoli look like a holiday painting right now?" He gestured to the beautiful snow topped town, with its glowing windows lit gold by candles. Rosetta could be seen in winter attire outside her shop, changing the sign.

Uzuki appeared to have just noticed him. She looked all around. "…Not where I come from."

Intrigued now, he gave her a questioning stare.

She sighed, though not in an exasperated way but rather in some fashion that he wasn't certain of. "Where I hail from," she explained patiently. "Holidays are celebrated with red and gold ribbons hung on poles and houses. We celebrate the year of whichever monster it belongs to…"

Raguna's brows shot up into his chocolate hair. "Oh, really?"

"Yes."

Studying her, the perceptive boy remarked, "You're homesick, aren't you?"

Seemingly _completely_ shocked at his observation, Uzuki gawked at him. "You are not _wrong_, but…I am glad to be here in Trampoli, with my friends."

He nodded solemnly, causing her to narrow her eyes somewhat. To prove that he wasn't teasing her, Raguna informed her that he'd not mind spending the holidays with her if she had no one else to celebrate it with.

Normally he would be with Mist—ever since he could remember, which truthfully wasn't much, he had spent that time with her—but somehow he felt that Uzuki would need it more.

She gripped her _naginata_ tightly in both hands, and once more she had that totally floored expression. "I am…um…" She ducked her head low. "I am greatly honored."

"I don't know about _honored_, but feel free to stop by my place if you want. I'll even get some red and gold ribbon if you'll show me how to string it properly." And he grinned at her, the words ringing truly in that single motion. "What animal year is coming up, anyway?"

Uzuki made a face as she tried to remember. "Dragon," she said at last. "It is soon to be the Year of the Dragon."

He shrugged lightly. "Guess I'll have to get some dragon stuff."

She continued to gape at him for a few seconds, and then suddenly she dropped her _naginata_. It fell with a dull thump.

"Hey, are you—" Raguna began, concerned, but the words died in his throat as the breath left him in a rush. Uzuki had her arms thrown around him, and she was hugging him so tightly that he felt like his ribs were being crushed.

"Thank you," she said softly, and he couldn't make heads or tails of her reaction.

"Y-You're welcome," he stammered, hesitantly returning the hug for a few heartbeats. However when she pulled back, he let go without complaint. His face was so red that he was sure that it made a tomato green with envy. Also, unfortunately, now he was hot! Embarrassed, he tugged at the collar of his shirt, carefully keeping his eyes away from Uzuki.

He heard her pick up her weapon again, and he faced her with a now somewhat sheepish grin. "Really, don't be stranger, okay? And try to dress warmer, " he reminded. "Or you'll end up sick like Tsubute."

Uzuki didn't seem all that shy about what she had done. Actually, she seemed genuinely touched about his offer to try the holidays her way. She nodded. "I will. Thank you again, Raguna."

Deciding that he had things to attend, he turned around, raising a hand in farewell. "Good luck with your training. See you later, Uzuki."

"Good bye."

He could feel her eyes on him as he walked down the familiar road for a second time and quite unexpectedly he found that the winter air seemed to be less frigid.

Perhaps winter wasn't so bad after all.

~*X*~

_Author's Note: Written as a gift with the required characters to hanatsukiko25 for being the 200__th__ person to favorite me as an author! Thank you, I appreciate it everyone! I actually haven't met Uzuki yet in my game, I had to use my sister's. I kind of had trouble writing this since I know so little about her, that and she looks really young and…Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you left a review!_


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